I went back today, to the site of the riot that occurred now more than two weeks ago. The area where it all went down was smaller than I remembered. I had been a lot closer to the fight between police and protesters than I had thought. The block of cement that I had taken shelter behind when the stand-off escalated into arrests was smaller than it had seemed at the time. I remembered how much safer I had felt behind it, but I was surprised now to have felt that way, its size seeming almost insignificant.
There was very little coverage of the event, the protest or the riot in the media. I heard more recently that the reason for this was not that the media was looking for a story (several of reporters with recognizable credentials had been present), but rather that they couldn’t figure out what the heck the protestors were protesting about. There was a lack in linearity to any conversations attempted. You can’t write a news story about anger.
I got the impression myself that feminism, as a movement, is running out of enemies. Western society has been HEAVILY affected by the feminism imperative. I’ve personally studied the history of feminism at the university level, so I know for a fact that most of the recommendations of the feminism movement from the 70′s and the 80′s have entered into political policy. Their movement has arguably been as successful as it could have been.
And yet, so much anger, even with the number of potential targets still shrinking every day.
So, it was understandable that Dr. Warren Farrell, who has only been subjected to picketers once in his professional career, would be the enemy of an angry, violent, out of control mob.
It’s a tragedy of free speech gone wrong when a young man like myself can’t attempt to attend a lecture about a topic of personal interest without being designated “fucking scumbag” by a group of woman and their male supporters, who of course hold a monopoly on judgement just because they say they do.
The Western world has reached a crisis. With all the focus being moved from children to girls, slowly and steadily, there is little left for boys. Yet, the demands of our capitalist system requiring constant progress, there is no choice, but to move forward. And yet boys, who will eventually become the members of society with the most energy and disposability to contribute to society’s progress are experiencing a consistent elimination of every motivation they have to contribute to society, something must change, not for men’s sake, but for women’s.
I wouldn’t call this Dr. Farrell’s mission. I’ll let him to speak to what his mission is himself, but I would say that what he is attempting to achieve is aligned with what I seek. I wish for a society that is the best that it could be for all. When I see boys and men committing the vast majority of suicide, having the most trouble in school and failing to become constructive members of society, it scares me.
I do not believe that men and women are the same. I believe that there are inherent difference between them and these differences, if properly utilized will contribute to a better society. I look around me and I see a society where men no longer know what is expected of them, what their role is.
As I recounted the details of the riot to Warren Farrell later that night (Note: I had not met him or communicated with him previous to this event) over a pint of Samuel Adams, I couldn’t help but feel sad. He was friendly and caring to everyone he interact with during his lecture and after. I enjoyed his company and admired his intelligence. And yet, it saddened me to speak with him.
I realized that the average member of our current civilization is unqualified to join the discussion. Dr. Farrell’s research, observations and concerns go right over their heads. The police had an unruly, violent mob on its hands because some people had made the mistake of completely misunderstanding his work, his writing and his words.
His previous statements about date rape had enraged them, because instead of asking themselves what he was attempting to communicate (a message that seems obvious and logical to me), they instead operated from a perspective where without uncertainty it is true that women do not lie about rape, that there could never be any confusion about when a rape has occurred, that the only victims of rape are women and the only perpetrators are men.
Like I said, I don’t think that it is fair to define Warren Farrell’s mission for him, but I’ll tell you mine. I can’t hope to appeal to the masses. On the other hand, I believe that there are some young men, who like me, are seeking and open to truth. I’ll talk to them.I’ll share what I’ve learned. But I’m not going to argue with people who have already made up their minds.
And for that, I’m scum.
Yours,
C.T. West
[...] To Be Continued….Part II [...]
Excellent poignant observations.
Hello. You made a great impression on that Utube flick. I’m sure you made some of these people reconsider their position against people trying to attend a talk for the sake of learning. I was shocked today when I learned about all this happening here in canadian university (from a freedom of speech perspective). I ordered the book Myth of male power right away because I find the author’s concerns and explanations very interesting. Thank you for your written report about the event. Max
“they instead operated from a perspective where without uncertainty it is true that women do not lie about rape, that there could never be any confusion about when a rape has occurred, that the only victims of rape are women and the only perpetrators are men.”
This might be generalizing feminist attitudes here. You use absolute terms here like ‘do not’, ‘could never’, ‘only’ which outlaw exceptions.
I believe it’s common in feminism to believe these to be overwhelming tendencies, but irrational as some memes in that movement can get, I do not believe they are so extreme as to believe 100% rules like you’ve stated here.
Hi tyciol,
Thanks for your comment and contribution to this discussion. I’d agree with you that my statement should strike the reader as overly generalizing.
However, I think that it is important to note that as a philosophy, feminism insists that all legal policy and response to criminal allegations be treated through the frame that I’ve described.
As someone who did take women’s studies courses in university, I am certain that this is their approach.
[...] Part II [...]
[...] If you survived the first twenty-two, congratulations. Now make the best of the next six. « Part II: Warren Farrell Comes to Toronto (Or Why I’m A Dickhead) Part IV: Warren Farrell Comes To Toronto (Or Why I’m A Dickhead) [...]
[...] visitors just stopped in for a moment. Traffic was concentrated mainly on the first and second articles I wrote in my series about the protest of Warren Farrell in Toronto. The majority of the [...]
Hi CTW, I am hoping this is the appropriate place to commend the lecture’s attendees for the level-headed restraint they (you) showed during the protest.
It is truly difficult to stay cool in confrontational situations like this. You set an example for all of us. Keep up the good work!
Again, nope. These people are attacking Farrell precisely because they understand his work and his message very well, and they won’t let concern for men and boys pass.